The Responsible Entity Officer (REO), as defined by the Social Security Administration, is an individual who is authorized to execute agreements on behalf of the entity that are legally binding and enforceable.

Some examples of REO positions may include:

• Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
• Director & Senior Manager
• Board of Director or Authorized Board Member
• Employee with Power of Attorney
• Owner of an LLC
• General or limited partner of a Partnership
• Business Owner (Sole Proprietorship)
• Individual who has control over the church’s funds or assets

Please note, the list above is not authoritative (i.e., it may be overinclusive and underinclusive). According to IRC section 6103(e)(1), only individuals with a “material interest” in the EIN may access tax return information. IRS policy, as outlined in an Internal Revenue Manual (IRM), provides specific criteria for determining who qualifies as having “material interest,” particularly in the context of partnerships, corporations, or subsidiaries of corporations.

How to volunteer

The study will be held September 8^th through September 16^th. If you are interested and available to participate, please send an email to BSOParticipants@ssa.gov with the Subject line: Invitation to participate in BSO study.

Please include the following:

• Your name and role in the company
• A valid email address and telephone number

We will notify you within 2 weeks if you are selected to participate in the study. Each session will take 90 minutes and will be facilitated by a user experience researcher. We ask that you are familiar with using the ZOOM application. If selected, you will be required to complete a consent form, and we’ll provide additional details if you’re selected. Once we have reached the maximum number of participants, the registration will close. If you have any questions, please contact us at: BSOParticipants@ssa.gov.